Hiring a car in Germany is straightforward. The surprises come afterwards: a petrol pump with three kinds of "Super", a blue cardboard disc you're supposed to put on the dashboard, and a junction with no signs where the car from the right simply goes.
This page follows the order you'll need things in: the rental desk, the pump, the car park, and the hard shoulder.
At the Rental Desk
I'd like to rent a car.
Ich möchte ein Auto mieten.
I have a reservation.
Ich habe reserviert.
For three days.
Für drei Tage.
An automatic, please.
Mit Automatik, bitte.
Is insurance included?
Ist die Versicherung inklusive?
How high is the excess?
Wie hoch ist die Selbstbeteiligung?
Is there a mileage limit?
Gibt es eine Kilometerbegrenzung?
Can I return the car in Munich?
Kann ich das Auto in München zurückgeben?
Where do I return the car?
Wo muss ich das Auto abgeben?
Does it take petrol or diesel?
Ist das ein Benziner oder ein Diesel?
Here is my driving licence.
Hier ist mein Führerschein.
Practice these words
Ich möchte ein Auto mieten.
Quick notes:
- Rental cars in Germany are manual by default. If you need an automatic, book it explicitly and expect to pay more.
- Selbstbeteiligung is the amount you pay yourself if there's damage. A low price with a high Selbstbeteiligung is the usual catch.
Words on the Contract
rental car
der Mietwagen
driving licence
der Führerschein
insurance
die Versicherung
fully comprehensive cover
die Vollkasko
excess
die Selbstbeteiligung
deposit
die Kaution
manual gearbox
das Schaltgetriebe
automatic
die Automatik
fuel tank
der Tank
sat nav
das Navi
child seat
der Kindersitz
winter tyres
die Winterreifen
number plate
das Kennzeichen
Practice these words
der Mietwagen
Quick note: Germany requires winter tyres in wintry conditions — snow, ice, slush. There's no fixed date, so between October and Easter ask whether the car has them.
At the Petrol Station
Fill it up, please.
Volltanken, bitte.
Where is the nearest petrol station?
Wo ist die nächste Tankstelle?
Pump three, please.
Säule drei, bitte.
petrol
das Benzin
diesel
der Diesel
charging point
die Ladestation
tyre pressure
der Reifendruck
screen wash
das Scheibenwischwasser
Practice these words
Volltanken, bitte.
Quick notes:
- You fill up yourself, then go inside and pay by naming your pump: Säule drei.
- Petrol comes as Super E5, Super E10 and Super Plus. E10 contains more ethanol and is cheaper; nearly all modern cars take it, but check the fuel cap.
- Motorway stations cost noticeably more than those in town.
Parking
Where can I park?
Wo kann ich parken?
car park
der Parkplatz
multi-storey car park
das Parkhaus
parking ticket (paid)
der Parkschein
parking disc
die Parkscheibe
ticket machine
der Parkscheinautomat
no parking
das Parkverbot
residents' parking
das Anwohnerparken
parking fine
der Strafzettel
Practice these words
Wo kann ich parken?
Quick note: a sign showing a small clock means you need a Parkscheibe, a blue disc set to your arrival time and left on the dashboard. Rental cars usually have one in the glovebox. Set it to the next half hour: arrive at 10:10, set 10:30.
When Something Goes Wrong
I've broken down.
Ich habe eine Panne.
I've had an accident.
Ich hatte einen Unfall.
The car won't start.
Das Auto springt nicht an.
I have a flat tyre.
Ich habe einen platten Reifen.
The battery is flat.
Die Batterie ist leer.
Can you send a tow truck?
Können Sie einen Abschleppwagen schicken?
I need the police.
Ich brauche die Polizei.
Nobody is hurt.
Es ist niemand verletzt.
Where is the nearest garage?
Wo ist die nächste Werkstatt?
warning triangle
das Warndreieck
high-visibility vest
die Warnweste
first-aid kit
der Verbandskasten
Practice these words
Ich habe eine Panne.
Quick notes:
- A warning triangle, a high-visibility vest and a first-aid kit are compulsory in every car. Check they're there before you leave the rental lot.
- The emergency number is 112. On motorways there are also orange emergency phones, with arrows on the roadside posts pointing to the nearest one.
Rules That Catch Visitors
Rechts vor links. At a junction with no signs or lights, the car coming from the right has priority. This is the default in residential areas, and German drivers take it without slowing.
Umweltzone. Many city centres are low-emission zones, entered only with a green sticker — the Umweltplakette — on the windscreen. Rental cars have one. A private or foreign car needs one bought in advance.
Rettungsgasse. In a traffic jam on a motorway, drivers pull apart to leave a lane clear for emergency vehicles: the left lane moves left, everyone else moves right. It's the law, and it's done before the sirens arrive.